The BBC's Bridget Kendall"Refugees are beginning to line up at the borders" real 56k

Sunday, 18 March, 2001, 18:36 GMT

Macedonia accuses West of inaction

Macedonian forces have dug in around Tetovo

Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski has accused the United States and Germany of refusing to act against ethnic Albanian rebels attacking targets in his country.

''You can't persuade anyone in Macedonia today that the government of the United States and Germany do not know who the terrorist leaders are and what they want,'' he said. ''They could stop them acting.''

It is aggression coming from Kosovo and we have proof

Macedonian Prime Minister Georgievski

US and German forces head the K-For peacekeeping forces in the eastern and southern sectors of Kosovo which border on northern Macedonia.

The prime minister's comments came as Macedonian forces pounded rebel positions around the city of Tetovo on the fifth day of fighting there.

Reserve call-up

BBC correspondent Peter Biles, who is in Tetovo, says a constant barrage of mortar and heavy machine-gun fire was being directed from government forces' positions, towards rebel strongholds in the hills.

Rebel roadblocks have been springing up around Tetovo

There has been little reported response from the guerrillas, who have threatened to spread the conflict, saying thousands of new recruits have travelled to the conflict zone to join up.

A Macedonian defence ministry spokesman announced on Sunday that the government had begun mobilising the army's reserve infantry forces as the crisis continued.

In his address to the nation, Prime Minister Georgievski announced other new measures against the rebels, including a curfew and restrictions on movement.

He said the army was using tanks and heavy artillery against the rebels near the village of Tanusevci, close to the Kosovo border.

Outside aggression

Mr Georgievski reiterated Skopje's position that the crisis was initiated by ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, and was not an internal conflict within Macedonia.

''It is aggression coming from Kosovo and we have proof,'' he said. ''This operation was well planned in advance in Kosovo.''

Macedonian protesters called for tough action

Across the border in Kosovo, Nato-led forces issued their toughest warning yet to the rebels that they wouldl face a strong response if any Nato bases inside Macedonia were threatened again.

A Nato base near Tetovo had to be evacuated when it came under fire on Friday, prompting Germany to deploy tanks inside Macedonia.

K-For commander Lieutenant General Carlo Cabigiosu said his forces would respond with "determination" to any further threat.

He said troops were now sealing the border between Kosovo and Macedonia in close co-ordination with the Skopje government.